Fixed VHF without a console

Delta 15 · 01 September 2010, 19:02

I occasionally take my 15' Avon from LA harbor to Catalina Island (~25 miles each way) and though I think I'm pretty well covered for emergency communications (6 watt handheld VHF, SPOT, handheld EPIRB and a cell phone) I'm considering adding a fixed 25 watt VHF and antenna to provide greater range.

My boat is set up with for tiller steering so I will have to mount the VHF and antenna on a SS bracket on the transom.

I'm wondering if anyone with a similar arrangement has any tips or pics that I could draw upon for inspiration.

Cheers,

Jon

willk · 01 September 2010, 19:29

Um, well done you on the 25 mile passages!

You will have to mount the antenna on the transom, but you could use a radio box located further forward, albiet something of a flexible fixture. IMO, a VHF on the transom of a 4.5 is going to get trashed, and if you need it...

martini · 01 September 2010, 19:49

Not along the lines you are thinking I'm sure but shows what can be achieved in a small boat.

Poly · 01 September 2010, 19:57

Do you think you'll get much improvement given that aerial height is biggest factor (and its not the tip of the aerial that counts). So a 2m aerial is probably "no taller" than an average man standing up with a h/held.

martini · 01 September 2010, 20:11

The biggest improvement will be from the 25w output of a fixed vhf over a 4/5w handheld. Plus a decent antenna with a higher dB gain will further improve both tx and rx range.

Under normal circumstance I'd say a bit pointless on a sib but being 12.5 miles offshore and possibly? 25miles from the nearest coastal radio station isn't normal circumstance!

jyasaki · 02 September 2010, 15:25

I would lay pretty good odds that the CG would hear your handheld pretty well from the Santa Barbara Channel. They've got big antennas on the mountains there. Might be worth calling them sometime on an "information" broadcast ("Hey, something's floating in the water here; wouldn't want anyone to hit it...") just to do a real-world comm check.

That said, more power means you'd have a better chance of reaching a nearby vessel, which may be pretty useful if you happen to be in distress at the time. CG response may be up to (or over) an hour, depending on where you are.

jky

willk · 02 September 2010, 18:13

Can you guys not do radio checks with the CG? It's standard practice here...

captnjack · 02 September 2010, 19:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

Can you guys not do radio checks with the CG? It's standard practice here...

We can (I hear them off and on) but they would prefer you use another vessel and make chit chat with them to check signals.

captnjack · 02 September 2010, 19:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

Can you guys not do radio checks with the CG? It's standard practice here...

We can (I hear them off and on) but they would prefer you use another vessel and make chit chat to check signals that way.

Poly · 02 September 2010, 19:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by captnjack

We can (I hear them off and on) but they would prefer you use another vessel and make chit chat with them to check signals.

So would ours - but I think they have a more open attitude if the idea is to establish range/coverage to their mast (which obviously no one else can do).

willk · 02 September 2010, 20:19

I do regular radio checks with the CG. They often quiz me as to my location and recommend a CG working channel for the day. Good service!

Mollers · 02 September 2010, 20:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

I do regular radio checks with the CG. They often quiz me as to my location and recommend a CG working channel for the day. Good service!

If ch16 is unusually quiet, I also get a CG radio check. It's very much incouraged by the CG for obvious reasons.

willk · 02 September 2010, 21:08

We have virtually no traffic on 16. Mostly TRs on the CG working channels. It's the Wild West of VHF...

m chappelow · 02 September 2010, 21:10

You could perhaps mount the radio set as in the old rnli D classes were before the new pod system ,,,, martini,s photo ,,were introduced ,
it was mounted/bolted between stainless steel tubing that held up the spray dodger ,also a speaker was fitted above .
to make it all watertight/ inversion proof, it was fitted into a watertight box with extentions for the knobs/ switches and mike going trhrough a perpex front cover ,

CJL · 02 September 2010, 23:10

http://www.dsdevelopments.co.uk/Radio_Enclosures.html

Expensive but extremely good equipment.

chris123 · 03 September 2010, 18:35

I would have thought a DS Developments box would be overkill - a modern IP67 rated marine VHF should be ample for a normal SIB in all but the most extreme conditions - make sure you grease up / cover with self amalgamating tape the aerial connections and you should be good to go.

Cheers

Chris

captnjack · 04 September 2010, 03:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polwart

So would ours - but I think they have a more open attitude if the idea is to establish range/coverage to their mast (which obviously no one else can do).

We're a big inland sea and their towers are on actual mountains so that's really never a problem. Even the puniest 1w handheld can reach their towers if the antenna is actually working. So most radio checks around here are actually antenna checks which can be done on short range and low wattage. They are surly most of the time whether its a radio check or not so maybe they aren't frowned upon as much as I think they are lol.

C-NUMB · 08 September 2010, 20:33

I made for the plotter this type of small table, might work also as a platform for a fixed vhf?
It is fixed to the boat with a couple of ss wingnuts so its removable from the boat in 30 seconds.

It was originally done as a temporary solution so did not bother about the finish, but as it worked so well, have used it for the whole season.

Crew is sleeping on the air floor, hand on bow line. We made 105 nm that day, my neck started to propose console steering over tiller.....

Stoo · 13 September 2010, 23:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by C-NUMB

We made 105 nm that day, my neck started to propose console steering over tiller.....

Yowsers! That's a long trip in a wee rubber boat!

Pikey Dave · 14 September 2010, 08:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

We have virtually no traffic on 16. Mostly TRs on the CG working channels. It's the Wild West of VHF...

I remember a week in the Outer Hebrides in about 1991, we used to call up Stornoway CG each morning with routine traffic, the girl that answered us had voice like warm honey

There was so little radio traffic up there, that she would chat about the weather & where we were going etc. A world apart from the brusque south coast world of Solent & Portland.